Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 2, 2017
First Reading: Acts 7.51 8.1a
51Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you ever resist the Holy Spirit. Just as your fathers did, so also do you do
Psalm 31
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David according to an ecstasy. In you, Lord, I have hoped; let me never be confounded. In your justice, deliver me2Incline your ear to me. Hasten to rescue me. Be for me a protector God and a house of refuge, so as to accomplish my salvation3For you are my strength and my refuge; and for the sake of your name, you will lead me and nourish me4You will lead me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me. For you are my protector5Into your hands, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth6You have hated those who practice emptiness to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord7I will exult and rejoice in your mercy. For you have looked upon my humility; you have saved my soul from needfulness8And you have not enclosed me in the hands of the enemy. You have set my feet in a spacious place9Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am troubled. My eye has been disturbed by wrath, along with my soul and my gut10For my life has fallen into sorrow, and my years into sighing. My virtue has been weakened in poverty, and my bones have been disturbed11I have become a disgrace among all my enemies, and even more so to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances. Those who catch sight of me, flee away from me12I have become forgotten, like one dead to the heart. I have become like a damaged utensil13For I have heard the harsh criticism of many who linger in the area. While assembled together against me in that place, they deliberated on how to take away my life14But I have hoped in you, O Lord. I said, "You are my God.15My fate is in your hands. Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who are persecuting me16Shine your face upon your servant. Save me in your mercy17Do not let me be confounded, Lord, for I have called upon you. Let the impious be ashamed and be drawn down into Hell18May deceitful lips be silenced: those that speak iniquity against the just, in arrogance and in abusiveness19How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you keep hidden for those who fear you, which you have perfected for those who hope in you, in the sight of the sons of men20You hide them in the concealment of your face, from the disturbance of men. You protect them in your tabernacle, from the contradiction of tongues21Blessed is the Lord. For he has shown his wonderful mercy to me, in a fortified city22But I said in the excess of my mind: "I have been cast away from the glance of your eyes." And so, you heeded the voice of my prayer, while I was still crying out to you23Love the Lord, all you his saints. For the Lord will require truth, and he will abundantly repay those who act with arrogance24Act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all you who hope in the Lord
Gospel: John 6.30-35
30And so they said to him: "Then what sign will you do, so that we may see it and believe in you? What will you work31Our fathers ate manna in the desert, just as it has been written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ 32Therefore, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven33For the bread of God is he who descends from heaven and gives life to the world.34And so they said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always.35Then Jesus said to them: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected themes: the challenges of faith and the true nature of spiritual nourishment. The first reading from Acts describes a time of great turmoil for the early Church, where persecution leads to the dispersion of believers. This scattering, though it seems chaotic, becomes the catalyst for the spread of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. The passage also reflects on the resistance to the Holy Spirit, a recurring theme in the history of God's people, highlighting the tension between faith and obstinacy.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Bread of Life, a discourse that follows the feeding of the 5000. Here, Jesus shifts the focus from physical bread to spiritual nourishment, emphasizing that He is the true bread from heaven. The people's request for a sign is met with Jesus' profound revelation of His divine role, inviting them to move beyond physical satisfaction to a deeper, eternal fulfillment.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God's presence in our lives. Like the early Christians, we may face challenges that test our faith, but these can also be opportunities for growth and spreading God's message. Jesus' identification as the Bread of Life reminds us to seek spiritual sustenance in Him, trusting in His providence even amidst life's uncertainties. Let us embrace the Holy Spirit's guidance and find our true fulfillment in Jesus, the Bread of Life.